Automatic fire extinguisher



Patentecl Apr. 19, 1927.

szsnse GENTABO MATSUSHITA, OF SELMA, CALIFOENIA.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUSHER.

Application filed March 24, 1923.

This invention relates to lire extinguishing apparatus and particularly to that 'type which is automatic in its nature, and among the various purposes features and advantages thereof are the following The main purpose of the nvention is to provide an apparatus responsive to the draft caused by the i risng of the heated and smoke laden gase resulting from a fire in a room or other compartnent.

Other features and advantages reside in the particular construction and arrangement of elements specifically point'ed out in the following specification.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side View of the apparatus, certain parts being shown in section.

Figure 2 is an end view thereof looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional view through the automatic sprinkler; and

Figure 4 is a longtudinal sectional view through the motor controlled service pipe valve.

Figure 5 is a detail section through a tu-` bular portion of the sprinkler.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings by numerals of reference, 2 and 4 indicate respectively the ceiling and one wall of a room or other compartment which is tobe protected with my fire extinguisher, the ceiling being provided with an opening 6 communicating with a chimney or draft duct 8 which in turn is in communication with a trunk conduit 10 into which may lead chimneys or draft ducts from other rooms equipped with my apparatus.

Pivotally mounted upon a pin 12 fixed in the wall of the chimney or duct 8, is a Valve 14, the area of which is slightly less than the cross sectional area of the chimney so that it efiectually closes the passage therethrough but will move on its pivot under pressure of draft and against the action of a relatively weak coiled spring 16, which later tends to normally hold it in a closing position as shown in Fig. 1.

The valve 14 is provided enterior of the chimney with a rigid depending arm 18 carrying an electrical contact 20 adapted to be moved upon actuation of the valve into and out of electrical contact with a relatively fixed contact 22 on a metallic arin 24 arranged in an electric circuit 26, in which is included a small electric motor 28,

Serial No. 627371.

mounted upon a base on the upper face of the ceiling.

The shaft 31 of the motor is provided with a worm 32 in mesh with a segmental worni gear 34 arranged through 90 degrees ofthe circumference of a disk 36 fixed on a spindle 38 at right angles to the shaft 31 of the motor. This spindle carries a spherical valve40 oscillatable within a valve casing 42, said valve and casing being respectvely provided with ports 44 and 46 adapted to be moved into and out of registry upon actuaton of the spindle 38, which latter is ournaled at one end in a step hearing 48 while the other passes through the wall of a coupling sleeve or union 52 arranged in a water supply pipe line 54. A tortion spring 56 on the spindle 38 and fixed at its ends respectively in the coupling or union and in the spindle is for the purpose of assisting the return of the valve to closed position when the motor ceases to operate and the motor shaft is turned in a reverse directon by hand; The spring also serves as 'a stabilizer for preventing the valves from turning too far when the worm arrives at the end of the set of teeth upon the worm wheel.

The pipe line 54 has an extension 59 which passes downwardly through the ceiling and into the room or other Compartment, and is provided upon its lower end with an automatically operated rotary sprinkler indicated generally at 60.

Specifically this rotary sprinkler comprses a hollow rotary head 62 provided with a plurality of radial and preferably upwardly eXtending distributing nozzles 64. The head is rigidly carried at the lower portion of a tubular casing 65 preferably formed in sections 68 and 69 united by threaded couplings 7 O the upper of said sections 68 being provided with an inwardly extendng annular fiange 72, which cooperates with an outer annular channel 74 on the lower end of the extension 59 of the pipe line 54 to constitute a raceway for an annular series of ball bearings 7 8.

For the purpose of rotating the sprinkler head when the valve 40 is opened, I arrange within the casing 65 a water wheel or motor having the lower end of its shaft 82 rigid with a supporting spider 84 the arms of which are fixed to the inner wall of said casing. The upper end of the shaft 82 is journaled for rotation in a spider 86 fixed within the extension 59.

In operation, the head 62, andwith it, the tubular easing 65 and Water Wheel 80 rotate on the ball bearngs With respect to the pipe line extension 59.

I also desire to place in the electric circuit an audible alarm, consistng of' a, bell 88, Which Will be actuated upon closing. of. the circuit by the valve operated switch;

.From the foregoing description of the Construction of my improved apparatus, it Will be seen that I have provided a simple,

inegpenve and eficent means for carrying out the obgects of the nventon, and` While I have particularly described the means best adapted to: perform the functions set forth, it is obviou that, various changes in. for-m, proportion and inthe minor details of con strnction may be resortdto Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of. the invention,

` Having thue describedmy inventon, What Ir claimasnevv and desire to secure by Let; ters Patenta is 1,. In. combination With a compartment pr VidedWith a vertically disposed fine upon its ceiling Wall, fire extinguishing appar-atus coniprising valve member pivoted` tothe fine 'and having an end` portion disposed thei-ein, Spring means for holding said end portion. of, the valve member. tranverely,

of the fine a, motor inounted exteriorly of thecompaqtment, a contact member mounted u uponthe conpartment and having terminal portion locatedadjacent a inovable part of the. valve.member an, open electric conpipe, a Valve connected With the pipe and r means for Operating said Valve from the motor shefit.

2. In combination With a compartment having a fine. monnted upon the celing Wall thereof fire extinguishing apparatus comprising a valve member having angularly disposed end portons, said valve member being pivoted. to the. fine and having one end portion located withinr the-fine and the other end portion exter orly thereof, spr ng means for. holding the inner end portionpf he valve I member approxinately. trans; versely o the fine, &term nal;monnted upon the compartment and havngan end port on dieposed opposite and normally spaced fron the 'enter encLporton o the valve member,

a motor mounted uponthe compartment, a conductor connecting the motor W th the terminal, an electric conductor; connected ith the motorr and the fine, a;worn carried,upon.

the shaft of the motor, a Woi'm.wheel haying an inte'rupted, set otr' teethnormally neshing With the Worn, a pipe located. ex-

teriorl of the connartment; and, leadin v by into the sanic, a valve controllingthepipe and a spring pressed sten connecting the valve With the worm wheel. i

In testimony Whereof I; afix my sig natu re.

E A O M s ll TA 

